Mood Diary

Learning more about manic depression or bipolar disorderwill help you and your family manage your illness more successfully. Knowing how to identify early warning signs, including unusually high energy levels, sleeplessness or recurring depression, will help you considerably.

Understanding how aspects of daily life, such as sleep patterns and stressful situations can affect your mood will enable you to manage your condition.

The mood diary can help you and your doctor monitor your illness. By gathering information about your mood, events in your life, sleep patterns and medications you are taking, you may notice patterns that would otherwise remain undetected.

Taking your mood diary to your doctor will help him or her monitor your illness and treatment. If you find it difficult to complete the diary, a relative, partner or close friend may be able to help.